Dutch health minister Hugo de Jonge insists Eredivisie supporters will not be allowed inside stadiums to watch games until a vaccine for COVID-19 is discovered.
And he reckons that could mean it could be at least 12 months until fans will be allowed to watch their favourite team up close and personal.
The no-nonsense message from the Netherlands will resonate in Scotland just days after Neil Doncaster and Ian Maxwell warned Holyrood of the dangers our game faces.
The Eredivisie called time on their season last month as they look to plot a path forward and put all their resources into planning the 20/21 campaign.
It's the grim reality facing governing bodies across the world with every country at a different stage in their battle against coronavirus.
De Jonge, writing to parliament said: "We cannot yet mention a date for the last step, the mass gatherings.
"That is actually only possible if there is a vaccine and no one knows how long it will take. We hope of course soon, but a year or more is very real."
The SPFL faces a decision over how to call time on the Premiership with UEFA asking their members to make a call before May 25.
But Scottish football faces bigger battles ahead with serious concerns over our game's future without fans inside the stadium.
And that message was made loud and clear on Tuesday to Scotland's minister for public health, sport and wellbeing Joe FitzPatrick during vital talks over what's next for sport.
Football has been stopped in Holland since the outbreak hit Europe with Dutch clubs looking to call their season with no league title awarded and relegation and promotion scrapped.
Prime Minister Mark Rutte had already confirmed there would be no sport until September, but De Jonge’s additional advice about locking out fans long term has left the game fearing for it’s well being.
A KNVB statement said: “We are also in talks with the government about this, precisely because Dutch clubs depend above average on income from stadium visits. That’s why this report came as a total surprise.
“We would be horrified if there were no football matches for the public.
"This would be at the expense of the sports experience among the millions of fans and viewers.
“In addition, it would again be a very serious financial blow to the professional football industry.”
As the game prepares for more financial damage due to Covid-19, a package has been drawn up in Holland to try and save 30 million Euros through pay cuts.
The employers organisation FBO, the players’ unions and ProProf, the trade union of coaches, have reached an agreement on a package of emergency measures.
It has now been announced they have all arranged a deal to reduce salaries and their actions are supported by the KNVB, Eredivisie CV and Cooperative Eerste Divisie.
The percentage that players have to give-up in salary increases as the players earn more.
Up to an annual salary of 500,000 Euros, percentages apply to 17.5 per cent. Every euro above the five hundred thousand mark means a 20 per cent discount.
The collective salary reduction is only advice and not a regulation, but it is expected that the proposals will be adopted by most clubs and will apply until at least the end of the year unless fans are welcomed back into ground before that December 31 cut-off point.
FBO director Serge Rossmeisl said in a statement, “We are appropriately proud that in these bizarre, difficult and troubled times for everyone, we were able to make collective agreements with the unions about emergency measures for professional football.
“It indicates that everyone in football is fully aware of the seriousness of the crisis and the consequences for professional football.
“In addition, this regulation proves that professional football takes the responsibility to look at itself first, when taking necessary measures.”
